Acts 4:32-37 (NIV)
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
Some look at this passage and see a precursor to socialism or communism. But what is actually happening here is simply love in action. The focus of this passage is the natural outgrowth of spirit-filled lives lived together.
A part of that natural outgrowth was power to testify about Jesus, mostly lodged in the apostles, since they were the consistent eyewitnesses to all of Jesus’ ministry, to His death and resurrection. But God’s grace was on everyone, working transformation in them, and through them into the lives of others.
Another natural outgrowth was a unity of heart and mind. All the believers were focused on the “one body and one Spirit– just as (they) were called to one hope when (they) were called–one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6 NIV) And that unity in every essential enabled not just powerful fellowship, but effectiveness in the work of the kingdom.
It also resulted in generosity. This generosity sprang not only from love for God and love for each other but, as Luke notes, from an understanding that the things that each Christian owned was not their own. Instead, they recognized that everything belonged to God, and that they were merely holding those things in stewardship, to be used as God determined.
Thus, when someone was in need, those who had extra shared generously with those who had too little. And when those who owned lands or houses that they weren’t using were led by God to sell them, they didn’t covet the proceeds. Instead, they brought the money to the apostles to be used to help those who were in need. Barnabas (who plays a significant role later in the history of the Church) was one of those.
Again, the key difference between what was happening here and some of the collectivist governmental systems that are being promoted today is crucial. First of all, the motive for the sharing was not the good of the collective, but unity of faith and purpose, and a one-on-one love that simply met needs as they became apparent. Second, this sharing was free-will, not mandated, or even encouraged, by the leadership. And finally, each individual got to decide what was “extra” for themselves. There was no maximum income or possessions that was deemed adequate, with pressure to give anything over that to others in order to even out the wealth; no plan to redistribute. This was unity and love that manifested itself in concrete ways to meet legitimate needs, and it did so in ways that were far more effective than any government program.
Father, it is amazing to see how effective this “bottom-up” system worked, and did it effectively without shaming, or coercion, or mandates. Simple love and unity ruled the day. It was what the believers had in common that made this possible. Even today, what all of us, your kingdom people, have in common is so much more powerful than our differences. Sadly, we have been encouraged and taught to focus on the differences, and our unity has been destroyed, our love short-circuited. Lord, inspire in us a love and unity that will move us back together, that will erase the hedges and walls we have built, and that will move us to the same kind of loving actions that the early Church was famous for. Amen.
If you are enjoying my blog, I invite you to check out my book, When We Listen, A Devotional Commentary on the Gospel of Mark. Just follow this url: http://eagerpress.webstarts.com/ Thanks, and God bless you all!